MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--beIN SPORTS refiled a carriage complaint with the Federal Communications Commission against Comcast. After many months of tireless work trying to negotiate reasonable terms with Comcast but who continually refuse to engage, consistent with FCC guidance, this new filing provides more detail and robust evidence for Comcast’s discriminatory practices against beIN SPORTS following the original filing in March of 2018.
As described in the original complaint, the refiling maintains that Comcast has ignored its obligations as a vertically integrated multichannel video programming distributor and discriminated against beIN SPORTS as an independent network in favor of its own soccer content and other sports programming to the detriment of beIN SPORTS and its viewers, violating program carriage rules.
The FCC did not agree with any of Comcast’s arguments, and dismissed the complaint with prejudice only because the evidence did not allow sufficient certainty on certain matters. Such practices are not only damaging to fair competition and plurality in the broadcast market, but also deny sports fans premium sports content.
“We have spent many months tirelessly trying to negotiate reasonable terms with Comcast, but Comcast has now, point-blank, refused to negotiate with us,” said Antonio Briceño, beIN SPORTS’ Deputy Managing Director for the U.S. and Canada. “Thus, beIN SPORTS has refiled our carriage complaint against Comcast, providing additional evidence, consistent with FCC guidance, to substantiate Comcast’s discriminatory practices against beIN SPORTS and in favor of their NBC affiliates. Unfortunately, this is a continued strategy of leveraging large, vertically integrated cable carriers against smaller networks like ours to the detriment of devoted, loyal fans.”
“As a network that puts sports fans first, beIN SPORTS USA is committed to providing our passionate viewers with equal access to the world-class sports coverage and content they deserve. We remain hopeful that an agreement can be reached to reinstate beIN SPORTS at the same levels of distribution as Comcast’s own sports networks with which beIN SPORTS simply seeks to compete on a fair basis,” added Briceño.
beIN SPORTS’ priority is, and has always been, to provide the most compelling programming, coverage and analysis to viewers, as work continues to bring more opportunities for fair access to the network’s hours of exclusive sports coverage including LaLiga, Süper Lig and Ligue1 soccer matches and other major sporting events.
Subscribers who would like to keep beIN SPORTS and beIN SPORTS en Español can visit www.keepbeINonXFINITY.com or call 1-877-789-1392 to file a complaint to their cable provider directly. Your support can make the difference. #KeepbeIN #StopCarrierBarriers!
For more information, visit www.beINSPORTS.com. Follow us on Instagram @beinsportsusa and/or @beINSPORTSenEspanol, Twitter @beINSPORTSUSA and/or @ESbeINSPORTS and like us on Facebook beIN SPORTS USA and beIN SPORTS En Español for breaking news and real-time updates.
About beIN SPORTS USA
Launched in 2012, beIN SPORTS is the fastest-growing sports network in the world, offering viewers world-class sports content and entertainment across multiple platforms including TV channels beIN SPORTS and beIN SPORTS en Español and live streaming on beIN SPORTS CONNECT. A cornerstone of beIN SPORTS is its unrivaled live soccer coverage, which includes live matches from LaLiga, Ligue 1, Copa del Rey, Coupe de France, Turkish Süper Lig, as well as news and in-depth analysis of all the top leagues from around the world. In addition to soccer, beIN SPORTS serves as a haven for fans of motorsports, boxing, mixed martial arts (MMA) and volleyball, among others. With the addition of Conference USA coverage, beIN SPORTS broadcasts College Football, Men’s and Women’s Basketball, Soccer, Baseball, Softball, and Volleyball. Through beIN SPORTS CONNECT, authenticated subscribers can also enjoy all the exciting action from the two networks and stream live overflow matches offered in HD on your computer, tablet or smart phone.